Paper-making machine



June 5, 1923.

w. sfcRANDELL PAPER MAKING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1921 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1June; 5, 1923. 7 1,457,349

w. s. CRANDELL PAPER MAKING MACHINE Filed M y 28, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented done 5, i923.

- Pa". i

WILLIS S. CRANDELL, 0F ELSMERE, NEW YORK.

LAQER-MAKING- MACHINE.

Application filed May 28, 1921. Serial No. 473,435.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIS S. CRANDELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elsmere, in the county of Albany and State of New York, haveinvented a certain new anduseful lm rovement in Paper-MakingMachines,'of w ich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to paper making machines of the type commonl knownas cylinder paper machines in w ich the web of paper is initially formedupon the surface of a wire screen cylinder rotating in the fibre bearingliquid.

In machines of this type the cylinder m'ould is immersed in the fibrebearin liquidflowing thru a trough or restricted passageway, generallysemi-circular in cross section to correspond with the surface of thecylinder mould, this trough or restricted passage being commonly termeda circle. The edge of the upstream side of the circle forms In effect adam over which the water flows into the circle while the opposite edgeof the circle, elevated somewhat above the dam rovides an overflow. Thefibre bearing liquid is generally educted from the opposite ends of thesemi-cylindrical trough or circle and returned to the upstream side ofthe fresh supply of the fibre bearing liquid. It is highly importantthat there be a smooth even flow of the fibre bearing liquid over thedam and it has been customa to cause the fibre bearing 1i uid to flowthru a vat to the'dam referre to and to locate in said vat battles andother current directing devices to dispose the surface of the flowingliquid at a certain level and to extinguish eddies or currents therein.To provide 'a convenient and compact structure, it has also beencustomary to locate the circle and the cylinder mould rotating therein,in the vat, with the floor or lowest point of the semi-cylindrical wallof the circle at some distance above the floor ofthe vat; and, when anyof the fibre bearing liquid was to be returned from the circle to theupstream side of the circle, to provide return conduits from theopposite ends of the semi-cylindrical trough or circle to the mainportion of the vat on the upstream side of the circle. As it is ementialthat the liquid returned from the circle to the stream flowing to thecircle 'be inducted into that stream substantially below the surfacethereof and hence adjatoo thin in spots or drawn cent the floor of thevat, the return conduits Were necessarily tortuous due to the differencein level between the floor of the circle and the floor of the vat.

Machines as thus constructed were fairly efiective up to a certain speedof rotation of the cylinder mould. At higher speeds of the cylindermould, however, the cylindrical surface of the cylinder mould moves at agreater peripheral speed than the oncoming fibre bearing liquid so thatthe fibres suspended in the liquid were, so to speak, forcibly drawnfrom the water by the faster moving surface of the cylinder mouldflthisaction preventing the proper matting and deposit of the fibres upon thecylinder and thus causing the web formed thereon to be out to too greatthinness entirely across the web.

This dilliculty could not be obviated by a speeding u of the pumpproducing the circulation or the fibre bearing liquid because, upon anincreased rate of flow of the liquid thru the vat, the numerous battlesand directing devices therein, produced conflicting currents and eddieswhich prevented that smooth even flow of the fibre bearing liquid overthe dam and'thru the circle essential to the formation of the web uponthe cylinder mould. I

A further serious objection to these machines has been the deposit ofslime throughout the vat and in the communicating conduits, due to thenumerous places of lodgment for such matter in the battles and directingdevices in the vat, and in the tortuous return conduits referred to.

Among the objects contemplated by my invention are to avoid thediiliculties and objections referred to, and particularly to produce asmooth even flow of the fibre bearing liquid at a substantiallypredetermined level without the deposit of slime, and to coordinate thespeed of fiow of this liquid with the speed of rotation of the cylindermould, up to the limit of the power ofthe pumps to withdraw the liquidfrom the down-stream sides of the cylinder mould.

In accomplishing these objects my invention contemplates, among otherthings, the provision of an always unobstructed passage thru the vat orother conduit for the fibre liquid in its travel to the cylinder mouldand without any devices therein which could set up counter-currents oreddies in the flowing liquid or form lodgments for the deposit of slime,and the provision of communicating conduits without angles or tortuouspassages. These and other objects ofv my invention will appear from anillustrative embodiment thereof about to be described. While by thisillustrative embodiment I shall describe my invention in the best formknown to me, it is to be understood that my invention is capable ofembodiment in many difierent forms and is not to be limited to the formdescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, likenumerals of references indicate like parts, throughout the variousviews, of which Fig. 1 is a' vertical side elevational view of that partof a paper making machine showin a vat for the fibre bearing liquid, thecy inder mould partially immersed and rotatable therein and the couchroll and other cooperating parts of the machine, the conduits for thefibre bearing liquid communicatin with the vat being omitted, however,and t e'side openings therefor only being shown;

Fig.2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1, with the conduitsand the associated pumps for the circulation of the fibre bearing liquidshown therewith; I

Fig. 3 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in section onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing a preferred form of mount-- ing for thecylinder mould in the side walls of the vat;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the tank for the fresh supplyofthe fibre bearing liquid associated with the parts shown in thepreceding figures and showing by arrows the path of circulation of thefibre bearing liquid.

Any conduit for the passage of the fibre bearing liquid to the cylindermould may be employed but I preferably employ a tank or vat. This vatfor the fibre bearing liquid may be of the usual form and is so shown inFig. 1 as indicated by the reference nu meral .1. The semi-cylindricaltrough or circle 2 in which the cylinder mould is dis osed for rotationis preferably made wit the lowest part of its semi-cylindrical wall, orits bottom, fiush with the bottom 3 of the vat itself instead ofdisposed thereabove as has heretofore been customazry. The upstream sideof this semi-cylindrical trough constitutes a dam at extending entirelyacross the vat from side wall to side wall as shown in Fig. 2, and thedownstream side 5 of the semi-cylindrical trough being disposed at ahigher level than the upper edge of the dam 4 and providing an overflowin the usual manner.

Extending from the dam 4: towards the opposite end of the vat 1 is abroad, fiat shelf 6 disposed to extend in a single plane, preferably butnot necessarily in a horizontal plane, substantially mid-way of theheight of the vat and completely thereacross from one side wall to theopposite side wall, and hence extending longitudinally of the vat, butnot to the end thereof, there being a substantial space between the endof the shelf and the adjacent end of the vat, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

By the arrangement described it is ap parent that the vat on theupstream side of the cylinder mould trough is divided into two portionsor passageways, one below the shelf 6 and the other t-hereabove, whichpassageways communicate with each other thru the 'space'between theshelf 6 and the adjacent end of thevat and which communication is,therefore, at a point remote from the dam and the cylinder mould.

It is also apparent that the upper portion or passage referred tocommunicates with the semi-cylindrical trough of the cylinder mould overthe edge of the dam t and that there is no direct communication betweenthat portion of the vat beneath the shelf 6 and the semi-cylindricaltrough of the cylinder mould.

The side walls of the vat, it will be apparent, form the opposite endwalls of that semi-cylindrical portion of the vat in which the cylindermould rotates and in these walls eduction apertures 8 are formed flushat the lowest point of their curves with the bottom of thecylinder-mould trough, which lead to conduits 9 circular in crosssection and of smooth interior contour, whose lowest-most wall is flushwith the bottom of the semicylindrical trough and with the bottom of thevat, as shown in Fig. 1. The conduits 9 each communicate thru inductionapertures 10 located in the lower side walls of the main body of the vatwith the lowest point of the curves also flush with the bottom of thevat, closely adjacent to the dam a, and hence leading to the lowerpassage in the vat 1 beneath the shelf 6.

Inserted in the conduits 9 are the pump chambers of rotary pumps 11 ofthe usual or any preferred type. These pumps are signed to be operatedeach independently of the other. and in a direction to withdraw theliquid from the semi-cylindrical trough of the cylinder mould thru theeducation ports 8, the conduits 9 and the induction ports 10 to thelower passage in the main portion of the vat. Suitable partitions 21 areinterposed between the conduits 9 and the space within circle 2 which isexterior to the cylinder mould, whereby the liquid must pass through thecylinder mould before being withdrawn through conduits 9. A conduit 12for fresh supplies of the fibre bearing liquid is connected to one ofthe conduits 9. In Fig. 4 the source of supply 13 of the fibre bearingliquid is diagrammatically shown. The independent operation of thepumpsll,

dey menses as will be apparent, permits of that pump receiving the freshsupply of the fibre hearing liquid to take care of that supply and yetto withdraw the spent liquid thru an eduction port 8 in a quantitycorresponding to that withdrawn by the oppositely disposed pump byspeeding up the pump referred to to a correspondingly increased rateover the oppositely disposed pump. Any suitable devices (notillustrated), such as are known to the art may be employed to preventthe level of the liquidin circle 2 from exceeding its proper height.

It is particularly to be'observed that the conduits 9 are short anddirect, having their eduction and induction ports flush with the bottomof the vat and having smooth interior contours, obstructed only by themoving blades of the pump so that no angular abutments are provided forthe lodgment of slime or the obstruction of the fibre bearing liquid. 5

A comparison of this arrangement with the arrangement old in the artheretofore mentioned, shows that the number of passages thru which thefibre bearing liquid is to be transported is thereby greatly reduced,

and hence the greater efficiency of the device and the less deposit ofslime and less interruption to the transportation of the fibre in thefibre bearing liquid.

In order to produce as smooth a contour of the communicating passages 9as possible, and with no obstruction in the eduction ports 8, thecylinder mould is preferably mounted with its opposite ring ends 14 inend abutment with a ring 15 extending inwardly from the side wall of thevat 1, a flexible ring 16 being provided to overlap the rings 14: and15, and hence lying over the joint between the end of the cylinder andthe ring 15, to make asubstantially watertight connection. Rollerbearings 17 are provided extending from brackets 18 in the walls of thevat l to bear upon the upper side of the interior of the cylinder mould,and other roller bearings 19 are provided extending from brackets 20 tobear upon the exterior surface of the ring 14 of the cylinder mould. Bythus mounting the opposite ends of the cylinder mould in bearingsextending from the wallsof the vat 1, it is apparent, as shown in Fig.3, that no central bearings for the cylindrical mould obstructs theediction aperture 8 or the conduit 9 extending therefrom or are presentto produce deposits of slime.

It is also apparent from this arrangement that the interior of thecylindrical mould itself is substantially free from rotating parts or acentral hearing so that there is a practically uninterrupted passagewaythroughout the interior of the cylindrical mould and thru the eductionports 8, the conduits 9, the pumps 1.1 and the induction ports 10 to thelower passage in the main body of the vat.

The independent operation of the two pumps enables such a control thatif, for any reason, there is a greater flow of water thru thecylindrical surface of the mould at the one end than at the other, thespeeding up of the pump on the opposite end will equal-. ize this flowand thus cause an even deposit of the fibres from the fibre bearingliquid upon the cylinder mould.

The fibre bearing liquid, as it enters the main portion of the vatbeneath the shelf 6 and at a point remote from the free end of thisshelf, must traverse the'entire length of the vat beneath theshelf asshown inFigs. 1 and 4-, and this fibre bearing liquid, under thepressure imparted by the pumps, flows over the free end of the shelf,the fibre bearing liquid being under sufiicient pressure to cause thisoverflow and its continued traverse along the upper surface of the shelfin the direction opposite to its traverse below the shelf until theupper end of the dam is reached, when it flows thereoverand into thesemi-cylindrical trough 2 in which the cylinder mould rotates. The fibrebearing liquid flowing under the shelf 6,, under sufficient pressure tooverflow the end of that shelf, maintains a constant even flow over theupper surface of that shelf without currents or obstructions of any kindto cause deposits, and the flow over the dam is there fore constant andsmooth.

The shelf (has stated, is preferably disposed in a horizontal planealtho it may, if desired, be disposed substantially in a horizontalplane and yet at a sufficient angle thereto in downward inclinationtoward the dam 4 to speed the flow of the fibre bearing liquid towardthe dam.

It has been found that with the arrange- .ment here described theeffectiveness of the machine is prolonged thru a much higher range ofspeed of the cylinder mould than heretofore the only limitation in thisrespect being the capacity of the pumps or the time required for thepassage of the spent liquid thru the conduits 9 and the fresh supplythru the supply conduit 12. A greater speed of the flowing fibre bearingliquid can be maintained without eddies or currents than where bafflesor other current-directing devices are employed so that the speed offlow of the fibre bearing liquid can be coordinated with the speed ofrotation of the cylinder -mould throughout substantially all the desiredspeeds of said cylinder-mould thus-enabling a speedier production of theweb of paper.

Having particularly descrlbed my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cylinder paper machine, bottom and side confining wallsproviding a passage for the flow of a fibre bearing liquid, a cylindermould having its lower portion immersed and rotating in said passage, afiat shelf disposed in a substantially horizontal plane in said passageon the upstream side of said cylinder mould, and dividing said passageand having its rear edge free, sai shelf being adapted to extinguishcurrents or eddies in the fibre bearing liquid in its fiow to saidcylinder mould and means for supplying said liquid to said passagebeneath said shelf.

2. In a cylinder paper machine, bottom and side confining wallsproviding a passage for the fiow-ot a fibre bearing liquid, a cylindermould having its lower portion immersed and rotating in said passage, adam in said passage adjacent said cylinder mould and on the upstreamside thereof and a fiat shelf disposed in a substantially horizontalplane in said passage on of said dam and dividing said passage andhaving its rear edge free, said shelf being adapted to extinguishcurrents or eddies in the fibre bearing liquid in its flow to and oversaid dam and means for supplying said liquid to said passage beneathsaid shelf.

3. In a cylinder paper machine, a trough for the passage of the fibrebearing liquid, a cylinder mould having its lower portion immersed androtating therein, and a runway whose length is more than twice thediameter of the cylinder mould, said runway being free from baffles orother obstructions to the fiow of the liquid.

4:. In a cylinder paper machine, a trough for the passage of the fibrebearing liquid, a cylinder mould having its lower portion im mersed androtating therein, an unobstructed runway for the fibre bearing liquidleading to said trough, means for delivering the fibre bearing liquid tosaid runway under a sufficient head to cause said liquid to flowthereover and means to vary said head to vary the speed of flow of saidliquid.

5. In a cylinder paper machine, a trough for the passage of the fibrebearing liquid, a. cylinder mould having its lower portion immersed androtatable therein at variable speeds, an unobstructed runway for thefiber bearing liquid leading to said trough, means for delivering thefibre bearing liquid to said runway under a sufiicient head to causesaid liquid to flow thereover and means to va ry said head incorrespondence with the variable speeds of rotation of saidcylindermould.

6. In a cylinder paper machine, a trough for the passage of the fibrebearing liquid, a cylinder mould having its lower portion immersed androtating therein, an unobstructed runway for the fibre bearing liquidleading to said trough including a flat shelf adapted to extinguishcurrents or eddies in the fibre bearing liquid directed thereover, saidshelf dividing said runway and the rear edge of said shelf being free,and means for the upstream side mamas introducingthe fibre bearing.liquid under the shelf.

7. In a cylinder paper machine, a vat for the fibre bearing liquid, acylinder mould rotating therein, a dam about said cylinder mould, arunway for the fibre bearing liquid disposed insaid Vat in a singleplane to extend to said dam, said vat having unobstructed spaces aboveand below said runway and communicating only at a point remote from saiddam, means for admitting the fibre bearing liquid tothe space below saidrunway under sufiicient pressure to cause said fibre bearing liquid toflow over said runway to and over said dam.

8. In a cylinder paper machine, a vat for the fibre bearing liquid, acylinder mould rotating therein, a dam about said cylinder mould, arunway for the fibre bearing liquid disposed in said vat in asubstantially horizontal plane to extend to said dam, said vat havingunobstructed spaces above and below said runway and communicating onlyat a point remote from said dam, means for admittin the fibre bearingliquid .to the space be ow said runway at a point remote from saidcommunication with said upper space under sufiicient pressure to causesaid fibre bearing liquid to flow over said runway to and over said dam.i

9. In a cylinder paper machine, a vat for the fibre bearing liquid, acylinder mould rotating therein, a dam about said cylinder mould, arunway for the fibre bearing liquid disposed in said vat in asubstantially horizontal plane to extend to said dam, said vat havingunobstructed spaces above and below said runway and communicating onlyat a point remote from said dam, means for admitting the fibre bearingliquid to the space below said runway at a point remote from saidcommunication with said upper space under sufficient pressure to causesaid fibre bearing liquid to fiow over said runway to and over said dam,and means to vary said pressure to vary the speed of flow of saidliquid.

10. In a cylinder paper machine, a vat for a fibre bearing liquid, a damextending transversely of said vat, a rotating cylinder mould partiallyimmersed in said vat on one side of said dam, a fiat shelf extending ina substantially horizontal plane transversely of said vat from thespillway of said dam on the side thereof opposite said rotating cylindermould and means for delivering the fibre bearing liquid to said vatbeneath said shelf under sufficient pressure to overflow said shelf.

11. In a cylinder paper machine, a vat for the fibre bearing liquid, adam extending transversely of said vat, a cylinder mould partiallyimmersed in said vat on one side of said dam, and rotatable at variablespeeds, a flat shelf extending in a substantially horizontal planetransversely of said vat from the spillway of said dam on the sidethereof opposite said rotating cylinder mould, means for delivering thefibre bearing liquid to said vat beneath said shelf at a point adjacentthe wall of said dam under sufiicient pressure to overflow said shelf,and means to vary said pressure in correspondence with the varyingspeeds of peripheral travel of said cylinder mould. 12. In a cylinderpaper machine, upper and lower substantially horizontally disposedpassageways for. the fibre bearin llquid connecting at a correspondingen thereof a trough semi-cylindrical in cross,

section at the opposite end of said up er passageway and adapted toreceive the li re bearing liquid from said upper passageway, the bottomof said trough being substantially level with the floor of said lowerpassageway, a cylinder mould having its lower portion immersed in androtating in said trough, passageways each having a bottom substantiallyflush with said bottom of said trough and the floor of said lowerpassageway, leading from the opposite ends of said trough to said lowerpassageway at a point remote from its communication with said upperpassageway, and means for forcing the fibre bearing liquid incirculation thru said passageways and said trou h.

13. In a cylinder paper machine, a vat for the fibre bearing liquid, adam extendin transversely of said vat, a rotatin cyl- 85 in er mouldpartially immersed in said vat on one side of said dam, a shelfextending in a substantially horizontal plane transversely of said vatfrom the spillway of said dam on the side opposite said rotatingcylinder mould, conduits about said dam at opposite ends thereof formingreturn conduits from the end portions of the space occupied by saidrotating cylinder mould to the space beneath said shelf, a source ofsupply for the fibre bearing liquid communicating with one of saidconduits, and pumps, one for each of said conduits, adapted to force thefibre bearing liquid thru said conduits beneath said shelf withsufiicient pressure to overflow said shelf, said pumps adapted to beindependently operated at variable speeds.

14'. In a cylinder paper machine, a vat, a dam in said vat, a cylindermould ,im mersed in said vat on one side of said dam and conduitscircular in cross section, one on each side, communicating with theinterior of said vat on the same side of said dam as said cylinder mouldby an eduction port and with the interior of said vat on the oppositeside of said dam by an induction port and bearings about said eductionport adapted to rotatably mount said cylinder mould, whereby saidcylinder mould, said eduction ports and said conduits presentsubstantially unobstructed interiors.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my of May,1921. v

WILLIS S. CRANDELL.

hand this 25th day 7

